Edwin john fletcher



(No Model.)

B. J. FLETCHER.

v CASE. No. 563,581. Patented July 7, 1896.

m: NORWKS PETERS w. PNorb-umbu WASHINGTON, D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC EDl/VIN JOHN FLETCHER, OF N EYE YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE WVHITING MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 563,581, dated July 7, 1896.

Application filed April 30, 1896. Serial No. 589,636. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN J OHN FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cases or Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention applies to cases or boxes intended to inclose jewelry, silverware, or other articles, and relates particularly to the construction whereby apeculiarly rich and handsome case may be produced at a comparatively low cost of manufacture.

The improved case is composed of foundation-pieces of wood or strawboard or both, covered with thin ornamental material, and particularly paper, so manipulated and applied as to closely imitate leather, silk, or other expensive coverings and linings. The paper-covered case is not only much cheaper than the expensively-oovered one, but is better in some respects. It'will withstand the kind of wear to which such articles are subject better than fabric, and will notindent or mar by accidental blows or falls, as will leather.

The present invention contemplates improvements in the base and body and in the means for joining them each to the other.

It consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts, which will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side view of the closed case, and Fig. 2 a corresponding end view. The remaining figures are on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are similar views showing the several steps in assembling the body. Fig. 8 is a section of a portion of the base on a still larger scale.

Fig. 9 is a section showing the attachment of the hinge. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the hinge alone. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are vertical sections through certain portions, showing modifications in the construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Ais a rectangular hoop, formed by bending a strip of thin wood at the corners and joining the ends. of the body of the case. shaped lining-piece, of strawboard or other material, matching the inner surface of A. The top piece B is of thin wood in the form of a rectangle, with rounded corners to conform to the outline of the hoop A. It is cov- 6o ered with rich paper I), extending overthe upper face and edges, lapping upon and pasted to the under face along its margin. Layers of cotton-batting b are placed upon the upper face before applying the paper, if

a padded effect is desired. In assembling these parts forming the body, the lining-piece A is covered on its exposed face byastrip a of ornamental lining-paper pasted thereon,

turned over the upper and lower edges and The upper edge of the hoop A is secured. next coated with paste or glue and the sheet C applied thereon, as shown in Fig; 4, the edges are trimmed off close up to the hoop,

and a'strip CL of the rich covering material is pasted on the outer surface of the latter, lapping slightly over the outer edge of the sheet 0, and, turning the lower edge of the hoop, is secured on its inner face.

One or more layers 0 of cotton are laid upon the sheet,as in Fig. 5,and the top piece B, having the margins of its under face previously coated with glue, is pressed firmly down upon the hoop, joining the turned-under edge of the covering material I) to the overlying edge contact with the padded under face of the top piece. Thus constructed all the raw edges of both covering material and lining are concealed within the joints and an extremely neat appearance is attained. The padded interior of the top is especially attractive,

and as the sheet 0 is held only at the extreme edges and the lining-piece is forced into the It forms the main portion A is a similarly- 55 The lining-piece A is 90 V yielding surface of the pad, the joint 'between them is not likely to show open, even when the parts are slightly separated.

Excessive care in the pasting operations is not necessary. There is little danger of the glue exuding upon any of the finished surfaces, and particularly on the interior. important feature of the improved construction is in the turning of the covering-strip a over the upper edge of the hoop and upon the sheet 0 and attaching the top covering 1) directly thereto. This insures that in the event of any slight warping or distortion of the top piece relatively to the hoop no opening will show at the joint, because the coverings on each piece are pasted together, and although the position of the joint maybe shifted it will not apparently be open.

D isahoop narrower than the hoop A, but of the same construction andlateral dimensions. It forms,with a bottom piece D glued thereon, the base of the case or box. It is covered by pasting a strip (1 around the outside, lapping well onto the bottom and turning over the upper edge upon the inner surface. It is finished by applying a sheet (1 of the same or different covering material upon the under face of the bottom to cover the raw edges of the strip (1. If it is preferred, a single sheet may be used, covering the whole lower face and sides and turning the upper edge, in place of the strip (Z and sheet (1.

E is the bed-frame. It is also a rectangular hoop of wood having the peculiar crosssection shown, thicker at the base, with an offset at E leaving the upright flange E A covering-strip c of lining material is pasted upon both surfaces of the flange, extending on the exterior quite to the offset E and a little distance down on the interior. A bedcovering F, of silk or other rich fabric, is pasted at its edges to the interior of the flange, hiding the raw edge of the strip 6 on all sides and extending loosely across the open top of the bed-frame. The exterior face of the thickened portion of the frame is coated with glue and is inserted within the hoop D, preferably from below, before the bottom D is applied, and pushed up until the desired position is reached. Cotton-battin g or other soft filling material f, suitable for a cushion to support the article to be inclosed, is then supplied and the bottom D attached, or in case the bottom and its hoop D are to be covered bya single sheet, as above described, the bed-frame will be forced downward within the hoop to the required dept-h upon the filling material. In either case the ofiset E forms, with the adjacent inner face of the hoop D, an open groove extending completely around the bed and containing the raw edges of the strips d and 6. These are concealed and a highly-ornamental finish added by the insertion in the groove of an ornamental masking strip or cord G of a diameter sufficient to fit closely-to the groove and lie with its upper line about flush with the top of the hoop D. There will usually be enough glue left in the groove from the preceding pasting operations to secure the cord in place.

The base and body are connected by ahinge, which may be a strip of stout muslin or other fabric securely glued to each, but I prefer to use a hinge especially designed for this purpose and shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings. I is a staple having its legs I bent sharply at right angles to the cross-bar, which latter is encircled by a loop J, formed on one end of a sheet-metal pin J. Barbs 2' are produced on the legs I of the staple to prevent its withdrawal from the wood, and similar barbs j are formed on the edges of the pin J. The hinges are fastened by initiating small holes in the under edge of the body to correspond to the points of the legs I, which are then driven home, the member J swinging idly. Holes are then produced at the proper points in the upper edge of the base to receive the pins and the latter are forced home into the wood by pressure exerted on a suitable tool.

I prefer for convenience in driving and for the additional strength secured to set the legs and pins angularly in the base and body, as shown in Fig. 9, and also to slightly round off the adjacent edges of the body and base, so that the hinges may be set farther in and be partially concealed.

II is a strip of stout fabric attached to the inner back face of the base and body adjacent to the joint and extending loosely across it to serve as a stop when the body is turned back and relieve the strain on the hinges.

I have described the sheet 0 as applied upon the upper edge of the hoop, and for a general description this is correct; but in practice the edge of the hoop is coated by applying it face downward upon a glue-pad or coated surface and then transferring it with the glue thus taken up to a pile of sheets 0, lying one upon the other, and pressing it down upon the uppermost it picks it up by adhesion without disturbing the remainder. The hoop is then reversed and the projecting edge of the sheet trimmed off. This may be cited as an example of the simple but rapid and effective methods employed in the manufacture of these articles.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions within wide limits without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing its advantages.

It is proposed in manufacturing boxes for some purposes to omit the bed and its frame, leaving the base plain, or padded, if preferred, by constructing it in a manner similar to the body and top. The relative height or thickness of the base and body may be varied to suit the conditions.

Although I have described the covering and lining material as paper, it will be understood that other material, as leather, leatherette, or textile fabrics may be employed. Paper is preferred because of the rich effects which can IIC be produced at a comparatively small cost, and also for thereason that it is better adapted to withstand the kind of wear and usage to which articles of this class are liable.

Instead of rounding the edges by removing aportion of the material forming the body or base, the same effect may be produced by pasting a strip M of paper having the proper thickness and narrower than the face upon which it lies before applying the covering material. The latter bends naturally across the unfilled angle, as shown in Fig. 11.

The bed-frame may be built up of two strips of wood, strawboard, or other material, as represented in Fig. 12.

The bottom piece may be inserted within the base, if preferred. Fig. 13 shows such construction.

Instead of the cord G, any ornamental strips serving to fill the groove and mask the edges of the covering material may be employed, and any suitable materials may be substituted for the wood or strawboard described as used in the construction of the foundation-pieces.

The loop J may be left sufficiently open to allow the cross-bar of the staple I to be inserted therein and the two parts of the hinge be set separately in their respective portions and be subsequently joined by closing the loop in any convenient manner.

I claim 1. In a case or box, the hoop A, lining-sheet C secured to the upper edge thereof, and the strip a covering said hoop and extending over upon the margin of said sheet, in combination with the top piece B and covering-sheet 6 extending around the edges to and upon the lower face of said top piece and joined to the upper edge of said covering-strip, all sub-' stantially as herein specified.

2. In a case or box, the hoop A, lining-sheet O secured to the upper edge thereof, the strip a covering said hoop on the exterior extending over upon the edge of said sheet and under the lower edge of said hoop, in combina tion with the lining-piece A and its covering a, and the top piece B and covering-sheet b extending around the edges to and upon the lower face of said top piece and joined to the upper edge of said covering-strip, all substantially as herein specified.

3. In a case or box, the hoop A, lining-sheet O secured to the upper edge thereof, and the strip a covering said hoop, in combination with the top piece B, covering-sheet b extending around the edges to and upon the lower face of said top piece, and the filling material 0 between the said top piece and liningsheet, all substantially as herein specified.

4. In a case or box, the hoop A, lining-sheet C secured to the upper edge thereof, the strip a covering the hoop on the exterior and extending over upon the margin of said sheet and under the lower edge of said hoop, in combination with the lining-piece A and its covering a, the top piece B, covering-sheet b therefor extending around the edges to and upon the lower face thereof and joined to the upper edge of the said covering-strip, and the filling material a between the said top piece and lining-sheet, all substantially as herein specified.

5. In a case or box, the hoop' D, bottom piece D and covering (1 therefor, in combination with the bed-frame E having the oifset E and flange E the covering-strip e on said flange, the bed-covering F and filling material f, and the ornamental masking-strip G lying in the groove formed by said offset and hoop, all substantially as herein specified.

6. In a case or box, the body comprising the hoop A and top piece B, and the base comprising the hoop D and bottom piece D, in combination with the hinge joining the said body and base, the same comprising the staple I I having the barbs & thereon and the pin J having the barbs j, and the loop J engaging the staple, all substantially as herein specified.

7. The body comprising the hoop A, liningsheet 0, strip a, lining-piece. A and its covering a, top piece B and its covering-sheet b, and the filling material 0, in combination With the base comprising the hoop D, bottom piece D, coverings d, d therefor, the bed-frame E and flange E thereon, covering-strip 6, bedcovering F and filling f, and the hinges I, J joining said body and base, all substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN JOHN FLETCHER.

\Vitnesses:

RoBT. CONNOR, PATRICK E. CoLLINs. 

